Beverage Filter Cartridge

ABSTRACT

A beverage filter cartridge includes an inner cup made of filter paper and defining a first chamber, an outer cup holding the inner cup in a second chamber therein, and a seal film bonded to the outer cup to seal the inner cup in the outer cup. The inner cup has a hard rim extending around the top open side thereof and supportable at an inner upper part of the outer cup to suspend the inner cup in the second open chamber of the outer cup. After removal of the seal film, the plastic outer cup can be recycled, reducing environmental pollution and implementing the principles of environmental protection.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to beverage filter cartridges, and more particularly to such a beverage filter cartridge, which allows separation of paper inner cup and plastic outer cup after service, so that the plastic outer cup can be recycled, reducing environmental pollution and implementing the principles of environmental protection.

2. Description of the Related Art

The use of beverage filter cartridge for making coffee drink has become increasingly common Many department stores or marts sell beverage filter cartridges that contain coffee grains or coffee powder. Consumers can purchase the desired amount of beverage filter cartridges and carry them back to the office or home, and then put a beverage filter cartridge in a specific coffee machine for making coffee drink. At this time, the coffee machine automatically pierces holes through a top seal film and a bottom wall of the beverage filter cartridge. U.S. Pat. No. 5,325,765 discloses a beverage filter cartridge, which includes an impermeable pierceable base having a predetermined shape and an opening at one end; a self-supporting wettable filter element disposed in the base sealingly engages with the opening in the base and has a form different and smaller than the predetermined shape of the base so that the filter element diverges from the base and divides the base into two sealed chambers, a first chamber for storing an extract of the beverage to be made, and a second empty chamber for accessing the beverage after the beverage outflow from the filter has been made by combining a liquid with the extract; and an impermeable pierceable cover sealingly engaged with the opening in the base to form an impermeable cartridge.

According to this design, the self-supporting wettable filter element sealingly engages with the opening in the base. After the service of the beverage filter cartridge and removal of the impermeable pierceable cover from the base, the user still cannot easily separate the self-supporting wettable filter element from the base for enabling the base to be recycled. Thus, users commonly directly throw away used beverage filter cartridges. In consequence, burial treatment is the normal way to handle waste beverage filter cartridges, causing environmental pollution.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention has been accomplished under the circumstances in view. It is therefore the main object of the present invention to provide a beverage filter cartridge, which comprises an inner cup made of filter paper and defining a first chamber, an outer cup holding the inner cup in a second chamber therein, and a seal film bonded to the outer cup to seal the inner cup in the outer cup. The inner cup has a hard rim extending around the top open side thereof and supportable at an inner upper part of the outer cup to suspend the inner cup in the second open chamber of the outer cup. After removal of the seal film, the plastic outer cup can be recycled, reducing environmental pollution and implementing the principles of environmental protection.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1 is a schematic exploded view of a beverage filter cartridge in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is an oblique top elevation of the beverage filter cartridge in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 3 is a sectional side view, in an enlarged scale, of the beverage filter cartridge in accordance with the first embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic applied view of the first embodiment of the present invention, illustrating coffee powder accommodated in the inner cup and holes respectively made on the seal film and the bottom wall of the outer cup.

FIG. 5 is a schematic exploded view of a beverage filter cartridge in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 6 is an oblique top elevation of the beverage filter cartridge in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 7 is a sectional side view, in an enlarged scale, of the beverage filter cartridge in accordance with the second embodiment of the present invention.

FIG. 8 is a schematic applied view of the second embodiment of the present invention, illustrating coffee powder accommodated in the inner cup and holes respectively made on the seal film and the bottom wall of the outer cup.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

Referring to FIGS. 1-4, a beverage filter cartridge in accordance with a first embodiment of the present invention is shown. The beverage filter cartridge comprises an inner cup 1, and an outer cup 3.

The inner cup 1 is made of filter paper, defining therein a first chamber 11 for holding coffee powder, tea or any other substance to be infused with boiled water. The inner cup 1 has a hard rim 2 selected from a hard material and bonded to the top edge thereof by heat sealing. Thus, when the inner cup 1 is put in the outer cup 3, the hard rim 2 is positioned in the inner top side of the outer cup 3.

The outer cup 3 is a plastic cup defining a second chamber 31 and a rim 33 around the top open side of the second chamber 31. Further, after insertion of the inner cup 1 into the outer cup 3, a seal film 30 is bonded to the rim 33 of the outer cup 3 to seal the second chamber 31. The second chamber 31 is configured to support the hard rim 2 of the inner cup 1 so that an inside space 12 is defined within the outer cup 3 around the outer perimeter of the inner cup 1 (see FIG. 3).

Thus, the beverage filter cartridge can be put in a coffee machine, beverage preparation machine or any other special purpose machine (these machines are of the known art and not within the scope of the spirit of the present invention, no any further detailed description will be necessary in this regard) that can be operated to pierce a hole 301 through the seal film 30 and at least one hole 321 through the bottom wall 32 of the outer cup 3 (see FIG. 4), enabling boiled water to be ejected through the hole 301 in the seal film 30 into the inside of the inner cup 1 to infuse the coffee powder/coffee grains/tea leaves 4 (see FIG. 4). Because the inner cup 1 is made of filter paper, the infused fluid will be filtered through the inner cup 1 and then will flow into the inside space 12 within the outer cup 3 around the outer perimeter of the inner cup 1, and then the infused fluid will flow through the at least one hole 321 in the bottom wall 32 of the outer cup 3 into a coffee cup (not shown), tea cup (not shown) or any prepared drinking vessel for service. After removal of the seal film 30, the inner cup 1 and the outer cup 3 can be separated, and the plastic outer cup 3 can then be recycled, reducing environmental pollution and implementing the principles of environmental protection.

Further, the outer cup 3 defines a tapered inner surface 312 surrounding the second chamber 31. The tapered inner surface 312 has an inner diameter gradually reducing in direction from the rim 33 to the bottom wall 32 for supporting the hard rim 2 of the inner cup 1 in a suspended status.

Referring to FIGS. 5-8, a beverage filter cartridge in accordance with a second embodiment of the present invention is shown. This second embodiment is substantially similar to the aforesaid first embodiment with the exception that the outer cup 3 defines an inside annular step 313 inside the second chamber 31 and near the rim 33 (see FIG. 5 and FIG. 7) for supporting the hard rim 2 of the inner cup 1 inside the outer cup 3.

Further, the hard rim 2 can be bonded to the top edge of the inner cup 1 by heat sealing, for example, high frequency bonding or ultrasonic bonding.

Further, the hard rim 2 of the inner cup 1 can be detachably positioned in the outer cup 3. After removal of the seal film 30, the inner cup 1 can be separated from the outer cup 3, and thus the plastic outer cup 3 can be recycled, reducing environmental pollution and implementing the principles of environmental protection. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A beverage filter cartridge, comprising: an outer cup made of plastics, said outer cup defining a second chamber and a rim around a top open side of said second chamber; an inner cup made of filter paper and suspended in said outer cup in such a manner that an inside space is defined within said outer cup around the outer perimeter of said inner cup, said inner cup defining therein a first chamber; and a seal film bonded to the rim of said outer cup to seal said inner cup inside said outer cup; wherein: said inner cup comprises a hard rim bonded to a top side thereof and stoppable at an inner upper part of said outer cup to suspend said inner cup in said second chamber of said outer cup.
 2. The beverage filter cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer cup defines a tapered inner surface surrounding said second chamber, said tapered inner surface having an inner diameter gradually reducing in direction from the rim of said outer cup to a bottom wall of said outer cup for supporting said hard rim of said inner cup in a suspended status.
 3. The beverage filter cartridge as claimed in claim 1, wherein said outer cup defines an inside annular step inside said second chamber and near the rim of said outer cup for supporting said hard rim of said inner cup inside said outer cup. 